Court to decide if Japanese couple can be deported

The Supreme Court will decide if a Japanese couple can be deported because of convictions resulting from a false tax return.

The justices will hear an appeal from Akio and Fusako Kawashima, who became permanent lawful residents in 1984. But he pleaded guilty to subscribing to a false statement on a federal tax return, and she pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in preparing a false tax return statement.

Immigration officials want to deport them because of the financial amount of the crime. Anything over $10,000 is considered an aggravated felony, and Kawashima said in his plea the government's tax loss was $245,126.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld their deportation, but the high court will review it.